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F. A. Meister
Distilled Spirits Council Washington, DC

JAMA. 1985;253(24):3549.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

The Oct 12 editorials in The Journal by Drs Lundberg¹ and Niven² reflect a disturbing trend of thought in medical and other circles. While these men offer some sound advice, such as the need for improved doctor-patient communication about alcohol and the need for improved medical training on alcohol, they fail in the attempt to write a prescription for society based only on a list of negative symptoms. They appear begrudgingly to accept alcohol only in zero-risk situations and appear unwilling to accept any concept that there is value in drinking customs that have endured and evolved since the birth of mankind.

They both seem to fall into a trap created by the abundance of statistical estimates on the costs and frequency of tragedies associated with alcohol. They are quick to assume that beverages, not individuals, are responsible for all deaths and injuries that occur in the presence of those . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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